The light 5th-generation fighter Su-75 Checkmate is initially being developed for the international market. However, it faces a serious competitor there – the American F-35 Lightning II from Lockheed Martin.
Can the Checkmate surpass the “Lightning,” which is already being produced in large volumes? “Pervy Tekhnichesky” analyzed the promising Russian project and the American giant based on key parameters – from combat experience to export cost.
Combat Experience and Serial Production
The F-35 has been in service since 2015. More than 1,200 aircraft have been delivered. Total flight hours have exceeded 1 million. The aircraft has seen combat in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, has been tested in the skies of dozens of countries, and has established spare parts logistics.
The Su-75 has not yet made its first flight; a prototype is being assembled. Currently, based on serial production and accumulated flight hours, the F-35 looks more preferable to customers.
Flight Range
F-35A – over 2,200 km on internal fuel. Combat radius – over 1,090 km. Su-75 – declared range of 2,900 km, combat radius – 1,500 km.
According to the declared characteristics, the Russian fighter is ahead, although confirmed flight data is not yet available. We award a point in advance and compare the score.
Avionics and Sensors
The F-35 received the AN/APG-81 AESA radar. The DAS system consists of six infrared all-around cameras, and the pilot's helmet displays data from onboard sensors, allowing them to see the situation around the aircraft almost without being tied to the direction of their gaze.
For the Su-75, an AESA radar and an all-around vision system are declared in the basic configuration, but official characteristics have not yet been published. Data has appeared online that the fighter will be able to detect targets with an RCS of 5 m² at a distance of 160 km, but there is no confirmation of this – therefore, the F-35 is stronger here.
Speed
The declared maximum speed of the Su-75 reaches Mach 1.8. Supersonic cruising mode without afterburner was also declared for the project, but it is not yet possible to confirm it in flight.
The F-35 develops up to Mach 1.6. The American fighter is inferior to the project in terms of declared maximum speed, so in this criterion, we award a point to the Su-75.
The Most Important Thing – Price
The F-35A in the latest production lots 18–19 has an average cost of about 92 million dollars per aircraft.
For the Su-75, the price of a production aircraft has not yet been determined. At the start of the project in 2021, Rostec head Sergey Chemezov named a target of 25–30 million dollars. Even considering that this is an early marketing estimate, the gap with the current cost of the F-35A looks significant.
Final score – 3:2 in favor of the Su-75 Checkmate.
The Russian project wins in declared range and speed, as well as potential cost. The American one wins in serial production and combat experience, as well as the maturity of its avionics.
However, the comparison remains preliminary. The F-35 is already operated by a large international fleet, while the Su-75 still has to confirm its characteristics in flight tests.